Tire inflation system having a sleeve assembly for routing pressurized gas

Abstract

A tire inflation system having a sleeve assembly. The sleeve assembly may be disposed proximate a spindle and may receive pressurized gas. A wheel end seal assembly may be disposed between the sleeve assembly and a hub to help route the pressurized gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tire inflation system comprising:
 a conduit that supplies a pressurized gas for inflating a tire; 
 a spindle disposed along an axis; 
 a hub that is disposed on the spindle and configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the hub has a hub passage that routes the pressurized gas through the hub; 
 a sleeve assembly that includes:
 a sleeve assembly seal that has a hole that receives the spindle, a fitting mounting boss that facilitates mounting of the conduit, and a mounting pad that extends from the fitting mounting boss that facilitates mounting of a mounting block that receives a tone ring sensor that is configured to detect rotation of the hub about the axis, wherein the sleeve assembly seal has a sleeve assembly passage that receives the pressurized gas from the conduit; and 
 a deflector that is mounted on the sleeve assembly seal; and 
 
 a wheel end seal assembly that is disposed between the sleeve assembly seal and the hub, wherein the wheel end seal assembly has a seal passage that fluidly connects the sleeve assembly passage to the hub passage. 
 
     
     
       2. The tire inflation system of  claim 1  wherein the deflector is fixedly disposed on the sleeve assembly seal between the conduit and the wheel end seal assembly. 
     
     
       3. The tire inflation system of  claim 1  wherein the deflector is spaced apart from the hub and the wheel end seal assembly and extends continuously around the sleeve assembly seal. 
     
     
       4. The tire inflation system of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve assembly seal has a first end surface disposed proximate the conduit, a second end surface disposed opposite the first end surface, and a first outer surface that extends from the second end surface toward the first end surface, wherein the wheel end seal assembly engages the first outer surface. 
     
     
       5. The tire inflation system of  claim 4  wherein the fitting mounting boss is disposed proximate the first end surface and the conduit is disposed proximate the fitting mounting boss. 
     
     
       6. The tire inflation system of  claim 5  wherein the sleeve assembly passage includes a first portion that receives the pressurized gas from the conduit and a second portion that extends from the first portion toward the first outer surface. 
     
     
       7. The tire inflation system of  claim 6  wherein the first portion extends from the fitting mounting boss toward the second end surface. 
     
     
       8. The tire inflation system of  claim 4  wherein the sleeve assembly seal has an inner surface that is disposed opposite the first outer surface and that engages the spindle, wherein the sleeve assembly passage is spaced apart from the inner surface. 
     
     
       9. A tire inflation system comprising:
 a conduit that supplies a pressurized gas for inflating a tire; 
 a spindle disposed along an axis; 
 a hub that is disposed on the spindle and configured to rotate about the axis, wherein the hub has a hub passage that routes the pressurized gas through the hub; 
 a sleeve assembly that includes:
 a sleeve assembly seal that has a hole that receives the spindle, wherein the sleeve assembly seal has a sleeve assembly passage that receives the pressurized gas from the conduit, an inner surface that engages the spindle, a first outer surface that is disposed opposite the inner surface, a second outer surface that is an outside circumferential surface of the sleeve assembly seal, and a second step surface that extends from the first outer surface to the second outer surface; and 
 a deflector that is mounted on the sleeve assembly seal, wherein the deflector has a first wall that engages the second outer surface, a second wall that extends from an end of the first wall and extends along the second step surface to inhibit axial movement of the deflector, and a third wall that extends from an end of the second wall toward the hub; and 
 
 a wheel end seal assembly that is disposed between the sleeve assembly seal and the hub, wherein the wheel end seal assembly has a seal passage that fluidly connects the sleeve assembly passage to the hub passage. 
 
     
     
       10. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the hub passage has a hub passage outlet that is fluidly connected to the tire by way of a second conduit, wherein the tire is disposed on a wheel that is mounted to the hub. 
     
     
       11. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the sleeve assembly does not rotate with respect to the spindle. 
     
     
       12. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the sleeve assembly extends continuously around the spindle. 
     
     
       13. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the wheel end seal assembly extends continuously around the sleeve assembly. 
     
     
       14. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the hub extends continuously around the wheel end seal assembly. 
     
     
       15. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the hub rotates with respect to the sleeve assembly. 
     
     
       16. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the wheel end seal assembly engages the hub and the sleeve assembly. 
     
     
       17. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the third wall extends to a tone ring that is disposed on the hub. 
     
     
       18. The tire inflation system of  claim 9  wherein the sleeve assembly further comprises a mounting block that is disposed on the sleeve assembly seal, wherein the mounting block facilitates mounting of a tone ring sensor that is configured to detect rotation of the hub about the axis. 
     
     
       19. The tire inflation system of  claim 18  wherein the mounting block is spaced apart from the deflector.